The Churdan Library is doing something that hasn’t been done in over 40 years.

They recently broke ground to put another addition onto their facility. Library Director Shari Minnihan says they are adding on 1,100-square-feet to their existing 2,300-square-foot building, that was originally built in 1961. The architect firm is Allers Associates Architects from Fort Dodge and the contractor is Thoma Construction from Manson. While the project is going on, the over 12,000 library items have been moved to a temporary location at 604 Hill Street, which Minnihan says has its own unique history.

“The upstairs was where the first Churdan Library was at. And at that time the bottom was the city hall, the jail and the fire station. So that’s really exciting, we’re getting to go back to our original roots.”

Minnihan adds that while they are putting on the addition for a larger program space, the entire interior is also being reconfigured. She says they are relocating the circulation desk, creating separate office spaces and modeling the restrooms to be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint. Minnihan appreciates everyone’s support during the five-years of fundraising.

“I cannot thank the community enough. Over 650-hours of volunteer work has been donated. So it’s really been amazing. We know we have the community support which makes us feel really good that they are really excited for us too.”

The total project cost is $350,000 and is expected to be completed by December.